Camera traversing apparatus for photographing nearby large object surfaces



June 11, 1940. E s. HINELINE 2,203,783

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 76 v 'Ll V22 66 v INVIiNTOR. \'/:::;1( BY 4 E g,, a Maw 70 63 %vis ATTORNEY.

June 11., 1 940. E s HlNELlNE 2,203,783

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

%zls ATTORNEY.

June 11., 1940. E. s. HINELINE 2,203,783

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 A w x A 2 QN WP, A Human/4 aw; Um

.INVEN'IIOR. UzeZuze s ATTORNEY.

June 11, 1940. 5 HlNELlNE 2,203,783

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 at; Y MJ ZEsATTORNEY June 11., 1 940. E. s. HINELINE 2,203,783

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHQTOG'RAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original F iled Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet s ZZZ ZNVENTQR.

EH50 Z'me 421's ATTORNEY.

June 11., 1940. E. s. HINELINE ,7

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHI'NG NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. 360 366 -Z Js0nS.Hl zeZrze June 11, 1940. E, s HlNELlNE 2,203,783

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHI NG NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1935 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTQR.

Ziisawfiff Zane c6 ATTORNEY.

E 4'IAII\AA "LR U" V 60 100 Ll I 1NVE NTOR. 504 Zdsomflfiznehne $39 BY 0' I CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 L6 ATTORNEY.

June 11, 1940. E s NE 2,203,783

- CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Oi'iilll Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. momflfivzezzlze BY $2. ZZLJMQAJ %i$ ATTORNEY.

June 11., 1940. E. s. HlNELlNE 2,203,783 CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHQTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original FilBd' Feb. 24, 1935 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 E Q INVENTOR BY I v %zls ATTORNEY.

June 11, 1940. s HlNELlNE 2,203,783

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFAGES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 7 INVENTOR. fi m m omflfineZuzc 1 w %zis ATTORNEY.

June 11., 1940. E s, H N NE 2,203,783

CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 Jason? 2 MM 0% Zz's ATTORNEY.

June 11., 1940. E. s. HINELINE CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1936 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 11s ATTORNEY.

June 11., 1940. 5 N L E 2,203,783 CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OBJECT SURFACES Original Filed Feb. 24, 1956 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 1m INVENTOR.

7 750 mime %z's ATTRNEY.

Patented June 11, 1940 \LlNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAMERA TRAVERSING APPARATUS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING NEARBY LARGE OB- JECT SURFACES Continuation of application Serial No. 65,260, February 24, 1936. This application December 5, 1939, Serial No. 307,644

24 Claim.

This application is a refiling with identical disclosure of my co-pending application Ser. No. 65,260, filed February 24, 1936, for Camera traversing apparatus for photographing nearby large object surfaces, and istherefore a continuation thereof.

In my Patent No. 2,136,262, dated November 8, 1938, based upon an application constituting a continuation of the present application as to subject-matter common thereto, there is disclosed a construction very similar to, but not identical with, the construction herein shown. The claims of my said Patent No. 2,136,262 are broad and generic in scope, and I herein claim only matter not claimed in said patent, the claims herein not being directed to a voting machine, which is herein shown merely as an embodiment of mechanism for practising my invention, and which might be practised in the photographing of objects other than the counter-board of a voting machine; on the contrary, the claims herein are directed to certain mechanism for traversing a camera across an object-surface to be photographed and for returning the camera to its starting position, thereby to complete a cycle. While not directing the claims to a voting machine, I will specifically refer, for purposes of explanation of the practising of my invention, to the voting machine shown in the accompanying drawings.

A voting machine, as now constructed, comprises a relatively large board upon which are arranged, in horizontal and vertical rows, a plurality of small card holders, each adapted to contain a card bearing the name of a candidate or of an issue. A plurality of small levers, one for each card holder, are made accessible to the voter, and, by manipulation of selected levers, the voter registers his preference.

On a corresponding large board at the rear of the machine are arranged in horizontal and vertical rows a plurality of counters, one for each candidate or issue. These counters are so connected to the small levers that each time a lever is manipulated in favor of a candidate or an issue, the register of its respective counter is increased by one in numerical value.

Preferably these counters are turned to "zero before voting is begun so that an inspection of the individual counters after voting is completed, will accurately reveal the number of votes cast for each candidate. They need not, however, be all turned to zero if a true record is made of the counters before and after voting, for in such a case, the numerical value of a counter before voting will be deducted from its value after voting is completed and an accurate count thus achieved.

Part of the mechanism herein disclosed comprises means of making an accurate photographic record of the counter board both before voting begins and again after it is completed. Mechanism of this character is shown and described in Patent No. 1,977,453, October 16, 1934, to William H. Petit and Edson S. Hineline. The present invention, however comprises a greatly improved mechanical structure for accomplishing this result.

Another part of the mechanism used in the herein defined structure comprises a magazine adapted to contain and seal the photographic film upon which the register of the counter board is kept, to the end that one not authorized to inspect the register, may neither remove it nor otherwise have access thereto. Mechanism of this character is shown and described in Patent No. 1,966,261, July 10, 1934, to William H. Petit and Edson S. Hineline. The mechanism herein shown to accomplish this purpose comprises greatly improved structural details.

The film strip employed in the embodiment herein shown is substantially that shown in Patent No. 1,963,096, June 19, 1934, to William H. Petit and Edson S. Hineline. This strip embodies such structural variations in its cross sectional contour as will complete an electric circuit at a predetermined position in its travel. This circuit when completed, performs, electrically, one of the functions of this invention.

By this invention, I accomplish a new result which so far as I am aware cannot be attained by the use of any known mechanism and has not heretofore been practised in any way. The present disclosure involves preventing all access to the counters of a registering or like mechanism from the commencement of the making of the first photographic record thereof (and the registering means are then manipulated as in a voting or other mechanism) unless and until a second photographic record is made of the condition of the counter board after the manipulation of the registering means is completed. The means I prefer include interlocking or interengaging means to prevent any access to the said registering means, one form or embodiment of which I will disclose without in any way limiting myself thereto. I desire it to be understood that my invention, although herein disclosed as practised upon or in connection with a voting machine, may be employed in many different types of registering or locking means. By this means the counters, the camera, and the film magazine are sealed against tampering by any person whomsoever during the period between the casting of the first and last vote.

That this new object and other meritorious features are attained will become apparent as the invention is. described in detail and reference is had to the drawings wherein- Fig. 1 is a rear view of a voting machine with the rear doors and the counter board cover closed, showing the camera in a starting position in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken at 2-2 oi Fig. 1 showing the mechanism for interlocking the upper door and the voting release key mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a view of the rear of the voting machine with the counter board cover open and some parts of the housing cut away to show the relation of the mechanism at a given period;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, approximately actual size, of one of the counters set at zero";

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the counter set at 130;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the camera, that is, the side of the camera next to the counter board;

Fig. 7 is a view of the camera, taken from the left side thereof when facing the counter board;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section through Fig. 6 on line H;

Fig. 9 is a section through Fig. 8 on line 9-4 showing a contact mechanism operated by structural variations in the film strip used in making the photographic record;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a section taken through Fig. 8 on line ii-i| showing contact mechanism insulatedly supported on the camera for conveying current from the contact mechanism, Fig. 9, to the machine proper;

Fig. 12 is a top view of the camera with the cover removed showing the various relations of the driving mechanism for moving the camera across the counter board;

Fig. 13 is a section through Fig. 12 on the line i3-l3;

Fig. 14 is a section taken through Fig. 12 on line i lll;

Fig. 15 is a partial section taken through Fig. 14 on the line lS-II;

Fig. 16 is a section through the over-running clutch showing the feed roller drive;

Fig. 1'7 is a section through the take-up clutch showing the spool drive;

Fig. 18 is one of the film driving shafts shown removed from the magazine;

Fig. 19 is a plan view of the film strip showing the cut-out portions adapted for circuit control, the leader strip, a first and second sensitized portions and the trailer strip, the two lines in the center merely indicating a division between that part of the record taken before and that part taken after voting; I

Fig. 20 is a top plan view of the magazine showing the manner of sealing;

Fig. 21 is a top view of the magazine with the cover removed showing the spools in place;

Fig. 22 is a partial section through Fig. 20 on the line 22-22;

Fig. 23 shows the magazine cover only, as it appears when removed from the magazine Fig. 24 is a view of the magazine with the cover,

aaoavas Fig. 23, removed, showing the feed roll, the film spool and the exposure opening;

Fig. 25 is a partial end view of the voting machine showing the voting release key and the camera left end supporting plate;

Fig. 26 is a partial right hand end view of the voting machine showing the camera starting switch and the control box with a section oi the door cut out to show the position of the camera;

Fig. 27 is a section taken through Fig. 25 on line 21-21;

Fig. 28 is a top elevation with part of the switch cover broken away to show one of the positions of the switch lever, as when the camera is travel, ing in the direction of the arrow shown;

Fig. 29 is a like view showing a different position of the switch lever with the camera traveling in the reverse direction;

Fig. 30 is a top plan view of the camera traversing motor control and the light switching means assembly;

Fig. 31 is an end view of Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a view showing the switch key control for starting the camera traverse mechanism;

Fig. 33 is an end view of Fig. 32;

Fig. 34 is a View similar to Fig. 32 except that the switch is in a different position;

Fig. 35 is a similar view to Fig. 32 with the switch in still a different position;

Fig. 36 is an end view of Fig. 35;

Fig. 37 is a section through the voting machine showing the arrangement of the perm for the interlocking means with the upper voting machine door open;

Fig. 38 is a similar view with the upper voting machine door closed;

Fig. 39 is a section through Fig, 37 on the line "-48, showing the position of a circuit breaking switch when the door is open;

Fig. 40 is a section through Fig. 38 on line 4. showing the position of the circuit breaking switch when the door is closed;

Fig. 41 is a rear view of the voting machine showing various parts of the interlocking mechanism in dotted lines when the camera (not shown) is in the starting position;

Fig. 42 is a similar view with the camera in its complete left end position that is, at the point at which its motion is reversed;

Fig. 43 is a diagram of the electrical circuit through the mechanism when the camera is in the starting position with the door open, the magazine in place and the film strip made ready for the first exposure;

Fig. 44 is a portion of the circuit diagram showing the position of the film strip under the electrical contacts when the magazine is placed in the camera;

Fig, 45 is a portion of the circuit diagram showing the position of the contacts in relation to the film strip when it has been wound to a signaling position;

Fig. 48 is a similar view showing the position of the contacts in relation to the film strip when it has been wound to its starting position;

Fig. 47 is a circuit diagram with the magazine in place, the upper door and counter board cover closed, and the switch which is operated by the camera starting key in contact and the motor running in the forward direction to drive the camera across the back of the voting machine;

Fig. 48 is a circuit diagram at the time the camera reaches its extreme left hand point of travel at which position the motor is caused to reverse, whereupon it will travel in picture making direction; it also shows the illumination switch closed. the voting machine door in the closed position, and the interlocking latch tripped by the camera movement;

Fi .49isaeircuitdiagrmasitwillbeaiter the camera has returned to right hand position, the door being still closed, and the paper positioning contacts in position as in Fig. 45 causing a solenoid to be energised to withdraw an interlocking pawl. file motor switch and the light switch are both open while the door is still closed.

Inasmuch as the mechanism comprising this embodiment of the invention is positioned entirely on the rear or counter board side of the voting machine, no views of the front or voters side of the machine are provided. In the rear elevation Fi 1, the machine proper. generally designated by the numeral 5., has an upper door 52. a counter board cover il, a middle door 56 and a lower door 50, all for closing the operative mechanism. 'lhe middle and lower doors, 5i and 50, have no function in connection with the counting mechanism herein defined.

The locking mechanism of the upper door 52, comprises a knob I, the turning of which operates a bolt 62 (see Fig. 2) from the dotted position 4, to the position 6, in which the end it, of the bolt enters behind the edge ll of the housing to retain the door in closed position. The upper door key It, may be turned in one or the other direction to secure the knob 6| against turning or to release it for unbolting as desired.

Projecting laterally from the bolt i2 is the interlocking end ll in front of which a vertically operative locking bar 1i, shown in elevation in Figs. 3'! and 38, may be made to extend to prevent unbolting of the upper door. This locking bar IE is operable vertically into and out of its position in front of the projection ll by the voting release key '18. The voting release key ll, while provided primarily for unlocking the mechanism in the front of the machine and making it available to the voter, thus also serves as an interlock whereby the upper door 5! may not be unbolted after the voting mechanism is thus made available to the voter.

The counter board cover 5! is hinged at the lower edge at it (see Fig. 38) and its upper edge has a lip 82, which extends upward and is covered by the upper door 52 when the upper door is closed. No other means of securing the counter board cover in closed position is provided. It will be obvious that when the counter board cover 54 is closed and the upper door 52 is closed over its upper edge and bolted as shown in Fig. l, and the voting release key is turned to make the voting mechanism available to the voter and to interlock the upper door bolt, so it may not be turned to open position, the camera Cl, and the counter board It, may not be tampered with.

Inasmuch as the disclosed mechanism includes means whereby two photographic records of the counter board are made and the total count for any candidate or issue is the diilerence between the numerical value of the corresponding counter as recorded on the first and second photograph, it becomes important that means he provided to prevent turning of the voting release key to lower bar IS between the time that the camera begins to take the first photograph and the time at which it has completed the last. The combination of mechanically and electrically operative mechanism provided to attain this result will be hereinafter described.

In Fig. 3 is shown an elevation of the camera 84 and counter board it, the traversing mechanismbeinginmanyrespectssimilartothat shown in Patent No. 1,977,453, supra, but constituting an improvement thereon, and particularly in that the electric motor, instead of being mounted upon and traveling with the photographic apparatus, is stationarily mounted. The camera itself, more clearly shown in Figs. 6 to 8, comprises a vertical row of lenses II, spaced and positioned to correspond to the horizontal rows of counters SI on the counter board, whereby each lens may traverse and progressively be focused upon an entire horizontal row of counters. In the operation of the mechanism herein disclosed, but to which the invention herein claimed is not restricted, the counters are traversed twice, once when the counters have all been turned to zero position, as shown at 92, in the enlarged view, Fig. 4, and again, after voting is completed when the counters show a registration of their respective counts, as at 94, in the other enlarged view, Fig. 5.

A carriage 96 on the base of the camera carries a pair of grooved rollers 98 which support and guide the camera on its transverse movement by rolling on the track I". The upper end of the camera is moved and controlled by a coarse pitch screw "2, which may be called the camera traversing screw, and a rod I, which may be called the camera control rod. The manner in which this screw and rod controls transverse movement of the camera will hereinafter appear. A series of light bulbs I05 are arranged to light the counter board as they traverse it, and a corresponding series of angle mirrors I08 transfer the image of the counters being traversed through a series of lenses 88, light tunnels H0 and exposure openings ill (see Fig. 8) to the film strip H2 within the magazine Ill.

The magazine ill contains the film strip H2, shown in detail in Fig. 19, which, before exposure, is wound on the film strip supply spool H6, and, during exposure, is transferred from the film strip supply spool Iii to the film strip take-up spool III. A feed roll I! is rotated during movement of the camera at such a speed as will move the film strip past the exposure openings ill, at the same rate of speed as the camera is traveling. Driving points I22, shown enlarged in Fig. 10, penetrate and engage the strip to insure that movement of the strip will be the same as the peripheral speed of the roll. A small guide roll I2! is positioned to maintain engagement of the strip with the driving points.

An insulating block 126 (see Fig. 8 and fragmentary section Fig. 9) secured to the frame of the magazine I, contains the contact members I28 and ISO. which are urged by the springs I32 toward the film strip H2, whereby the ends of the contact members are normally held against the surface of the strip. A metal bridge i34 electrically connects the contact member I28 to the contact member I38.

Insulatedly supported on the cover I38 of the magazine by the strip I38 are two electrically conductive strips 140 and I4! adapted to convey current from the contact members I28 and I30 respectively to the rear of the magazine cover. The rear ends 01' the strips m and H2 overlie openings i in the magazine cover I36, whereby spots on the strips are accessiblefor electrical connection from the exterior of the magazine when it is closed.

An insulating member 6 is secured to the camera frame I44 by the screws I54. Member I44 (see Fig. 11) carries the contact members I52 and I44 adapted to extend through the openings I44 and make contact with the strips I44 and I42 respectively. By virtue of the flexible flat conductive blades I56, the contact members are resiliently held in electrical contact with the strips. Protective insulating layers I54 and I44 (see Figs. 9 and 11) overlie the conductive strips I44 and I42 respectively, where they are proximate other metal parts within the magazine. Insulating strip I54, however, has openings I62, through which the contact members I24 and I 44 may extend and electrically connect the strips I44 and I42 through the bridge I44, when the iilm strip II2 does not overlie the openings I62. It is obvious that properly positioned openings, such as I64, I66, I64 and I14 (see Fig. 19), in the flim strip will permit the contact members I24, I44 electrically to connect the strip I44 to the strip I42, whereby electrical current may flow in through one strip and out through the other.

Below the camera near and parallel to the track I44 are three electrically conductive rails I12, I14 and I16, all secured to insulating blocks I14 by rivets I44. Blocks I14 are held to the machine proper by the screws I42. The contact member I52 is electrically connected to the rail I12 through a wire I44, which is secured to a flexible sliding brush I46 carried on an insulating block I44 on the bottom of the camera. The contact member I54 is electrically connected to the rail I14 through a wire I44 which is secured to a flexible sliding brush I42, also carried on the insulating block I 44. A third flexible sliding brush I44, carried by the insulating block I44, makes electrical contact with the rail I16. A wire I46 connects the brush I44 to the brush I46 through the bank of lamps I 44, which are connected in series.

On the upper surface of the camera 44 is formed a housing I44, within which the fllm strip feeding mechanism is contained. The camera traversing screw I42 and the camera control rod I44 extend longitudinally through this housing. Adjacent and parallel to the camera traversing screw, the camera guiderail 244 extends across the machine. Guide rollers 242, rotatably carried on the top of the camera, bear against the front and rear of the guide rail (see Fig. 12) to prevent the camera moving toward or away from the counter board during transverse movement.

A block 244, internally threaded to flt over the screw I42, is secured to the top of the camera by the screws 244, whereby rotation of the screw backward or forward moves the camera one or the other direction across the counter board.

In order to compel movement of the film strip H2 across the exposure openings III at a speed corresponding substantially to the speed with which the camera traverses the counter board 46, the feed roll I24 is positively driven by a rack and gear movement. The rack 244 is carried on the rail 244. A gear 2", having a pitch diameter equal to the outer diameter of the feed 'roll I24, is rotatably supported at the bottom in the top of the camera frame I44, and at the top in a bearing bushing 2I2 held in the housing cover 2, see Figs. 13 to 16.

It is desirable for reasons hereinafter explained that the feed roll I24 will be rotated only when the camera is traversing the counter board in the one direction, but will remain non-rotative when the camera is traversing the counter board in the other direction. To eii'ectuate this end,

the rack gear 2| 4 contains within its relatively large bore a unidirectional clutch 2I5. This clutch is shown in horizontal section in Fig. 15, and is of conventional roller clutch design having rollers 2" and springs 2I4.

A second gear 2I4 (see Fig. 16) is axially spaced from the clutch 2I4 by a washer 2", the gears 2| 4, 2I4 and washer 2" all being concentrically supported on the flanged sleeve 224 and held thereon by the nut 222. A pin 224 drivably connects the several parts through which it passes. The flanged member 224 is provided with an interiorly formed key part 226, which flts slidably into a key-way 224 in the drive spindle 244. A spring 242 bears against a shoulder on the spindle and forces it downwardly until a pin 244 bears against the top of the flanged member 224. A flattened driving tang 246 extends into a corresponding socket 241 in the upper end of the journal 244 of the feed roll I24. A groove 244 is provided in the upper end of the spindle 244. whereby-it may be lifted against the stress of the spring 242, when it is desired to remove the magazines together with its feed roll.

The film strip take-up spool II4, upon which the fllm strip is wound after exposure, is driven by a mechanism Fig. 17, considerably like the feed roll mechanism Fig. 16, in that it employs the same spindle 244, tang 246, spring 242, keyway 224, key 226, bearing 2I2, pin 244, nut 222, groove 244 and journal 244. The key 226, however, is carried by a flanged member 244 within pockets of which are a series of springs 242. A friction disk 244 rotates in unison with the flange member 244, and is urged upwardly by the springs against a friction washer 244.

The gear 244, which has a friction disk 254 secured thereto, is rotatable about the hub of the member 244 freely, except in so far as it is driven in unison with said hub by friction between the disk 254 and the washer 246. The gear 244, therefore, drives the film strip take-up spool H4 in unison with itself except when the film strip is not fed to the spool fast enough, in which case slippage of the friction parts permits the spool rotatively to lag behind the gears. The gear 244 is driven by the gear 2I6 through the idler gears 252, 254, 256, all rotatable on nonrotatable studs held in the camera frame I44 and cover 2. Gear 244 therefore rotates as much faster than gear 2H) as the inverse ratio of their respective number of teeth. Gear 244 is made sufliciently smaller than gear 2I4 to insure that the fllm strip take-up spool II4 will always lag slightly behind its driving gear 244. An idler roll 254 (see Fig. 8) keeps the film strip in its proper position at the end of the light tunnels III.

The magazine proper, which has been generally designated by the numeral I I4, is shown in Figs. 20 to 24 inclusive, and comprises a vertical plate 244 having a top head 262 and a bottom head 264 extending laterally therefrom. A double walled partition 266 extends at right angles from the vertical plate. This double walled partition is divided by small plates 244, whereby there is provided the light tunnels II4, corresponding in number to the number of lenses 44 in the camera.

The feed roll I24 and idler roll 254 are rotatably supported in bearings in the top and bottom heads 262 and 264. The supply spool H6 and the take-up spool II4 have rotative bearing in the bottom head 264, but in the top head their Journals 244 are supported in U-shaped slots 261,

whereby the spools H6 and III may have their 

